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Acknowledgments.

Now that my book is out, printed and bound and shipped and even (fingers crossed) purchased by people, nothing can be changed. One of the things that can’t be changed is a lack of an acknowledgments page. When I was asked about doing one I was, to be honest, overwhelmed. What if I left someone out? What if it sounded stupid or self-serving or puerile. I just looked up the word puerile. It’s a good word.
So the book is out and it can’t be changed and here I sit thinking about who I should have acknowledged. Maybe it’s not such a bad thing, however, because if I put it up here then people who have the book can print this out, and stick it in the book, maybe even right up at the front so that the acknowledgments come first, and those who might not buy the book will still get a chance to see it.
With all that said, here’s an acknowledgments page I would like people to add to my book:

I would like to give my love and thanks to my parents and my brother. My parents taught me the value of storytelling, my brother taught me I wasn’t alone in my passion for it.
I would like to thank every teacher I ever had. From elementary school through graduate school, I was blessed to be surrounded by thoughtful, loving, brilliant minds who had the selflessness to want to help others learn how to learn. For a long time (a loooooong time) I rejected the idea of being a student, but when I embraced it I realized how amazing all of my teachers were.
I want to thank my wife and son for putting up with me.
I want to thank the amazing community of writers I’ve become a part of, the network of those with a passion to tell a story, in whatever genre, whatever form, published or not, face to face or via the internet. You are all inspiring and inspired and I am amazed on a daily basis that any of you show any interest in conversing with me. I am more than proud to consider many, many of you friends and I aspire to be that for you.
I want to thank every single person at Harper Perennial. All of you. Thank you.
I want to thank every single person at FinePrint Literary Management. All of you. Thank you.
Most importantly, I want to thank readers. All readers, everywhere, whether they read my work or not, whether they like my work or not. If you read fiction, if you think about it and talk about it and share your love of it with anyone, thank you thank you thank you. You are why I write. Know that. It’s why most writers write. Without readers I’m just a cave painter talking about today’s hunt. With you I am part of a community, a culture. Without you my words do nothing. With you they breathe. Thank you. Thank you.

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5 thoughts on “Acknowledgments.”

1. I did not include an ACK in the first edition of my first book. My wife almost murdered me for not thanking her.
2. I don’t see my name above. What, you think you can wine me and dine me, and then not even mention me in your imaginary acknowledgements page? Screw you, Ferrell.

You want to talk about passion for good storytelling? I slept with a copy of your book under my pillow last night. Now that’s passion. Or is that just plain creepy?
Seriously though, if I could write a reader acknowledgment, I’d thank you for showing me that it’s possible to follow your dreams.